Wrapper feed mechanism for wrapping machines



Nov. 15, 1938. c. PETSKEYES WRAPPER FEED MECHANISM FOR WRAPPING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Fil-ed May 18, 1934 INVENTOR gm V7776 ATTORNEYS Nov. 15,1938. c. H. PETSKEYES WRAPPER FEED MECHANISM FOR WRAPPING MACHINES Original Filed May 18, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR M m BY my ma ATTORNEYS Nbv. 15, 1938;

C. H. PET'SKEYES 2,136,521

WRAPPER FEED MECHANISM FOR WRAPPING MACHINES Original Filed May 18, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 n 56 L l INVESTOR WWW 44 44: M77 ATTORNEYS Nov. 15, 1 938. c, H PETSKEYES 2,136,521

WRAPPER FEED MECHANISM FOR WRAPPING MACHINES Original Filed May 18, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 VIII/III A J III/II INVENTO BY. 1 .5 6 J ATTORNEYS Nov. 151938. c. H. PETSKEYES WRAPPER FEED MECHANISM FOR WRAPPING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed May 18, 1954 INVENTOR Patented Nov. 15, 1938 was;

PATENT OFFHQE WRAPPER, FEED MECHANISM FOR WRAP- PING NIACHINES Charles H. Petskeyes, Davenport, Iowa, assignor to Micro-Weston, Inc.

poration of Delaware Bettendorf, Iowa, a cor- Original application May 18, 1934, Serial No.

726,346, now Patent No. 2,088,157.

this application June 6 Claims.

This invention, which is a division of my copending application Serial No. 726,346, filed May 18, 1934, relates to wrapping machines and more particularly to mechanism for feeding and severing the wrapping material to the wrapping mechanism.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved means for feeding and severing the wrapping material which provides .for a rapid and more efficient feeding of the wrapping material to a wrapping station.

Another object is to provide a wrapping material feeding means for wrapping machines in which the wrapping material is fed substantially continuously, except during a momentary period While a sheet of predetermined length is being severed therefrom.

Another object is to provide a wrapping material feeding means in which the rate of feeding movement accelerates and decelerates respectively just after and just before the severing operation.

Another object is to provide a wrapping material feeding and severing means in which the length of the wrapping material to be severed can be readily changed.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists in certain features of construction and combination of parts to be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings and then claimed.

In the drawings, which illustrate a suitable embodiment of the invention,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wrapping machine in which the present invention is incorporated;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken through that portion of the wrapping machine with which the wrapper feeding and severing means is associated;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken approximately on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of the means for driving the wrapper feed rolls, a portion of the same being shown in section;

V Fig. 5 is a section taken approximately on the line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a section taken approximately on the line 6-45 of Fig. 5, showing one of the overrunning clutch devices;

Fig. 7 is a section taken approximately on the line 1-1 of Fig. 4, showing the means for adjusting the stroke of the crank arm;

Divided and 18, 1935, Serial No. 27,144

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 99 of Fig. L'showing the means for supporting the carriage and the smoothing roll;

Fig. 10 is a vertical section taken approximately on the line Ill-l0 of Fig. 2, showing the wrapper advancing rolls in section and showing the cutter blade; r

Fig. 11 is a side view of the cutter blade; and

Fig. 12 is a section of the cutter blade taken approximately on the line I2-l2 of Fig. 11;

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, the main frame of the wrapping machine with which the present invention is associated, includes spaced side frames l upper and lower connecting members 2 and 3.

The present invention concerns the means for feeding wrapping material such as plain or waxed paper, or regenerated cellulose, and severing a sheet of predetermined length from the wrapping material being fed.

The wrapping material A is carried in the form of a roll 4 which is supported on suitable arms 5 carried by the side frames Land is passed over an idling roller 6 to a material advancing mechanism mounted upon an adjustable car- 1 riage 1.

When it is desired to use a double thickness of wrapping material, additional wrapping material B, in the form of a roll 8, is rotatably supported on arms 9 carried by the rear ends of the'side frames l. A reel I0 is also provided for supporting a narrow strip of paper C having advertising material thereon which may be fed between the material A and B or under the material B.

i If desired, any suitable means may be provided for circulating a refrigerant or cold air through the centers of the wrapping material rollers so as to cool the waxed surfaces of the wrapping material and thereby minimize the accumulation of wax on the working parts of the machine.

. The carriage l rotatably supports a shaft II to which a smoothing roll E2 of substantial diameter is secured. The roll l2 preferably is hollow, and if desired may be cooled by circulating cold air, cooling fluid, or a refrigerant therethrough to cool the wax on the surface of the wrapping material and, as previously described, thereby prevent the accumulation of wax on the working parts of the machine.

The carriage 1 also supports a pair of wrapping material advancing or feed rolls l3 which are journalled therein, the advancing rolls l3 having their axes in a common vertical plane, and an additional pair of wrapping material advancing and rolls I4 adjacent the rolls I3 and also having their axes disposed in a common vertical plane. The wrapping material is conducted over the smoothing roll I2 and gripped by the feed rolls I3, suitable guide plates I5 being disposed between the smoothing roll I2 and feed rolls I3 to prevent sagging of the wrapping material between these rolls. The upper feed rolls I3 and I4 are preferably of rubber having a metal core and the lower feed rolls I3 and I4 are preferably of metal whereby the wrapping material will be positively fed and will not slip during the feeding thereof.

The carriage I also carries the cutting means or knife blade I6, to be later described, the knife blade being disposed to operate intermittently and to move between the pairs of rollers I 3 and I 4 to sever the wrapping material. The lower feed rolls I 3 and I4 are provided with small toothed gears I1 and I8, respectively, which are meshed with a common idler gear I9 so that when the gear I! is driven by means of a drive gear 20 the gears I1 and I8 will be driven simultaneously and in the same direction. The upper rolls I3 and I4 are so positioned with respect to the lower rolls I3 and I4 that during the feeding of the wrapping material, the wrapping material will be gripped between the rolls of each pair and advanced toward the wrapping mechanism.

The rolls I3, at their ends opposite the gear H, are provided with intermeshed pinions, and similarly the rolls I4 are provided with intermeshed pinions 22 so that the upper rolls I3 and I4 will be positively driven by the lower rolls I3 and I4. The forward rolls I4 are so geared to the rear rolls I3, or are of such diameter that they may rotate at a slightly greater speed than the rear rolls I3, whereby the wrapping material extending between the pairs of rolls may be placed under tension if desired, to facilitate the operation of severing the wrapping material.

The shaft II, which carries the smoothing roll I2, is journalled in the carriage 'I, and this shaft carries a drive gear 23 which is meshed with the gear 20, which is meshed with roll gear I'I. The| shaft II is rotated by means of a reciprocating mechanism, which is arranged to provide a continuous feed of the wrapping material to the wrapping mechanism except for the momentary periods when the cutter blade I6 severs the wrapping material to provide a sheet of wrapping material of predetermined length, and which mechanism is also arranged in such a manner that the speed of advancement of the wrapping material is accelerated and decelerated, respectively, just after and just prior to the operation of the cutter blade I6, so as to avoid any sudden stopping and starting of the wrapping material being advanced to the wrapping mechanism.

The mechanism for rotating the shaft II is carried within a suitable housing 24 which is pivoted upon the shaft II. Slidably mounted within the housing 24 is a reciprocable element 25 having a longitudinal opening 26 therein which receives the end of the shaft II. The reciprocable element 25 is connected at its lower end with a crank arm 21 mounted on a drive shaft 28. The shaft 28 is provided with a sprocket 29 that is driven by means of a chain belt 3|] from a sprocket 3I mounted on a sleeve 32, the sleeve 32 being rotatably supported on a main wrapper drive shaft 33.

The reciprocable element 25 is provided at each side of the opening 2'6 with rack teeth 34 and 35 which mesh with pinions 36 and 31, respectively, the pinions 36 and 31 being mounted upon short shafts 38 and 39, respectively, which are carried by the housing 24. The shafts 38 and 39 also carry freely rotatable pinions 40 and M, respectively, which mesh with a common pinion 42 secured to the shaft II. A driving connection in the form of an over-running clutch 43 is provided between the pinions 36 and 40, and a similar driving connection in the form of an over-running clutch 44 is provided between the pinions 31 and M. These over-running clutch devices are preferably of the friction type, as indicated in Fig. 6, and so arranged that a driving connection is effected between the two pinions 31 and M or 36 and 40 only during the rotation of one of the pinions 36 or 31, as the case may be, in one direction. In other words, the clutch devices act as free wheeling units which effect the drive during only one direction of rotation. Also, the clutch devices 43 and 44 are opposed to each other so that the clutch device 43 provides a driving connection between the pinions 35 and 40 upon one direction of travel of the reciprocable element, and the clutch device 44 provides a driving connection between the pinions 3! and M during the travel of the reciprocable element 25 in the opposite direction, so that regardless of direction of travel of the reciprocable element 25, the shaft I I, and consequently the feed rolls I3 and I4, by means of the chain of gears described, will always be driven in the same direction. This same motion, however, can be accomplished by other devices acting in a similar manner, such as, for example, a ratchet and pawl device.

The cutter blade I5 is provided with a series of sharp cutting teeth 45, and is arranged to move upwardly between the pairs of feed rolls I3 and I4 through a slot 46 provided in a suitable wrapping material support 4'! disposed between the pairs of feed rolls I3 and I4. The cutter blade I6 severs the wrapping material at the time the crank 21 is at dead center at the end of each stroke, i. e., when the reciprocable element 25 changes from one direction of travel to the other. At this time the feed rolls I3 and I4 are momentarily at rest.

The cutter blade I6 is detachably mounted upon a vertically reciprocable plate 48 which is guided at its ends in slots 49 formed in the sides of the carriage I. The plate 48 is preferably provided with an electric heating element 58 which transmits heat to the cutter blade I 6 to melt and thereby prevent the accumulation of wax on the cutter blade.

The plate 48 is secured to a bracket 5I which is pivotally connected with a rocker arm 52 securely mounted on a pivoted shaft 53, the shaft 53 being pivotally supported by the carriage The shaft 53 is provided with a lever 54 which is connected by means of a downwardly extending connecting rod 55 with one end of a pivoted double ended lever 5'5 (Fig. 2), a suitable coil spring 51 being employed to urge the connecting rod upwardly and maintain the plate 48, which supports the cutter blade E6, in its downward position. The opposite end of the lever 55 is provided with a suitable cam surface or cam roller 5-3 which engages with a suitable cam 59 keyed to the rotatable hollow sleeve or shaft 32. The cam 59 is cylindrical except for a small cam projection 60 which engages with the cam roller 58 and through the linkages described, causes the cutter blade I 6 to travel upwardly between the pairs of rollers I3 and I4 and sever the wrapping material. The cam projection 60 is carried by a removable block 6| suitably secured to the cam 59 and is so arranged with respect to the crank arm 21 that it only engages with the cam roller 58 at the end of each stroke of the reciprocable element 25, i. e., when the crank arm 21 is at one of its dead center positions.

Because of the use of the reciprocable element 25, which is actuated by a crank arm 21, the advancement of the wrapping material is substan- 10 tially continuous except for the momentary period that the reciprocable element 25 changes from one direction of travel to the other, and at which time the cutter blade l6 severs the wrapping material. Also by using the reciprocable element 25 and the crank arm 27, the rate of travel of the wrapping material is gradually increased after the severing operation and then is gradually. decreased just prior to the next severing operation so as. to prevent any sudden stoppage or sudden advancement of the wrapping material, and thus avoid danger of tearing the wrapping material.

In order toprovide for a change in length of the sheet of wrapping material which is severed from the material advanced by the feeding rolls i3 and I l, the stroke of the reciprocable element 25 is made adjstable, and this is accomplished by adjusting the throw of the crank arm 21. The crank arm 2'! is provided with grooved guideways Et which slidably receive a block 62. The block 62 carries the crank pin 63 to which the end of the reciprocable element 25 is pivoted, and is threaded to receive an axially immovable adjusting screw 64 carried by the crank arm 21. The screw .64 is rotated within the crank arm by means of meshed gears 65, one of which is rotated by a suitable hand wheel 66. By rotating the hand wheel 66 the block 62, which carries the crank pin 63, may be moved toward or away from the axis of the shaft 28 to decrease or increase the throw of the crank, as the case may be, and thus predetermine the degree of rotation of the feed rolls, and thereby predetermine the length of wrapping material to be advanced by these rolls.

If desired, the crank pin block 62 may be provided with an indexing finger 6'1 which may be set according to index marks 96 appearing on the crank arm, which correspond with different lengths of the wrapping material.

In order to properly locate a sheet of wrapping material, advanced and severed from the source of supply over the station where wrapping of the article is started, the carriage I is slidably and adjustably supported on suitable guides 68 carried by the side frames. Adjustment of the carriage 1 is obtained by means of screws 69 which are threaded into depending brackets 1!) carried by the carriage and which are operated by means of suitable gearing H from a shaft 12 extending between the side frames l, the shaft having a suitable hand wheel 73 arranged externally of one of the side frames which can be turned to cause the carriage I to travel forwardly or rearwardly with respect to the wrapping mechanism, and thereby to serve as a means for properly locating the sheet or sheets of wrapping material with respect to the article to be wrapped. This movement also provides a means for locating the discharge position of the wrapping material whereby the overlapping position of the ends of the material with respect to the bottom of the article being wrapped can be predetermined.

In order to compensate for the forward or rearward movement of the carriage l and prevent advancement or retardation of the wrapping material by the feed rolls l3 and I4 during this movement of the carriage, the carriage is connected by linkages, including a bell crank lever to rotate an amount proportional to the distance traveled by the shaft H, and thereby prevent rotation of the shaft H and the consequent rotation of the feed rolls l3 and [4, thus preventing advancement of the wrapping material during adjustment of the carriage I.

The drive mechanism for the wrapping material feed mechanism permits the wrapping material to feed continuously except for the momentary period of the severing operation without jerking as the rate of feed decelerates just prior to the cutting operation and gradually accelerates just after the. cutting operation. This prevents tearing of the wrapping material and provides for a more eflficient and more nearly continuous feeding of the same.

Although a single embodiment of the invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined in the following claims.

What-I claim is:

1. The method of feeding an individual sheet of wrapping material to a wrapping mechanism from an endless web of wrapping material, which comprises withdrawing a length of the wrapping material, tensioning a portion only of the withdrawn wrapping material in the direction of withdrawal, the tensioned portion being the last part of the length withdrawn, the first part of the withdrawn length being substantially without tension, and

moving a cutter through the tensioned portion in a direction substantially normal to the plane of said portion, the wrapping material being held at end parts of the tensioned portion substantially removed from the path of the cutter during cutting and the cutting operation being completed without supporting said portion of the wrapping material against deflection in the direction of cutter movement other than at said end part, said tension being independently sufficient to hold the wrapping material without objectionable deflection during the cutting.

2. In a wrapping machine having a wrapping mechanism and a source of wrapping material, means for feeding said wrapping material to said mechanism comprising a pair of feed rolls for gripping and advancing said material from said source, an intermittently operative cutting means for severing the material advanced by said rolls, and drive means for rotating at least one of said rolls continuously except during the operation of said cutting means, said drive means comprising a shaft having a positive driving connection with at least one of said rolls for-rotating the rolls in material-advancing direction, a rotatable crank, means for rotating the crank, a reciprocable element connected with said crank and pivotally and slidingly arranged on said shaft, a pair of overrunning clutches opposed. to one another with respect to driving relation, each clutch actuated by a rack on the reciprocable element and connected by gearing to the shaft to rotate the latter in the same direction at each stroke of the reciprocable element, said clutches being mounted for arcuate movement about the shaft and arranged to follow the pivotal movement of the reciprocable element.

3. In a wrapping machine, a source of wrapping material, means for advancing wrapping material from said source, comprising a pair of feed rolls, a second pair of feed rolls intermediate said first pair and said source, means for rotating said first pair of rolls at a greater peripheral speed than said second pair for tensioning the wrapping material extending between said pairs of rolls, and a reciprocable cutter intermittently operable between the feed rolls in a plane substantially normal to the plane of Wrapping material tensioned between the feed rolls, said cutter arranged to sever the wrapping material while the latter is restrained against deflection in the direction of cutter movement solely by said tension.

4. In a wrapping machine, a source of wrapping material, means for advancing wrapping material from said source, comprising a pair of feed rolls, a second pair of feed rolls intermediate said first pair and said source, means for rotating said first pair of rolls at a greater peripheral speed than said second pair for tensioning the wrapping material extending between said pairs of rolls, a supporting member positioned between the pairs of feed rolls and having its upper surface below the normal level of wrapping material extending between the rolls, and a reciprocable cutter iiitermittently operable between the feed rolls and past the supporting member in a plane substantially normal to the plane of wrapping material tensioned between the feed rolls, said cutter arranged to sever the wrapping material while the latter is restrained against deflection in the direction of cutter movement solely by said tension, and the cutter arranged during the severing operation to move the wrapping material away from the supporting member.

5. The method of feeding a succession of individual sheets of wrapping material from an endless web of wrapping material which comprises intermittently withdrawing successive lengths of the wrapping material at substantially uniform intervals and with a period of dwell after each withdrawal, tensioning a portion only of each length withdrawn, the tensioned portion being the last part of the withdrawn length, the first part of the withdrawn length being substantially without tension when the dwell occurs, and moving a cutter through the tensioned portion during said dwell period in a direction substantially normal to the plane of said portion, the wrapping material being held at end parts of the tensioned portion, substantially removed from the path of the cutter, during the cutting and the cutting operation being completed without supporting said tensioned portion of the wrapping material against defiection in the direction of cutter movement other than at said end parts, said tension being independently sufficient to hold the wrapping material without material deflection during the cutting.

6. The method of feeding a succession of individual sheets of wrapping material from an endless web of wrapping material which comprises intermittently withdrawing successive lengths of the wrapping material at substantially uniform intervals and with a period of dwell after each withdrawal, the rate of wrapping material feed being gradually accelerated at the beginning of each withdrawal and gradually decelerated at the end of each withdrawal, tensioning a portion only of each length withdrawn, the tensioned portion being the last part of the withdrawn length, the

- first part of the withdrawn length being substantially without tension when the dwell occurs, and moving a cutter through the tensioned portion during said dwell period in a direction substantially normal to the plane of said portion, the wrapping material being held at end parts of the tensioned portion, substantially removed from the path of the cutter, during the cutting and the cutting operation being completed Without supporting said tensioned portion of the wrapping material against deflection in the direction of cutter movement other than at said end parts, said tension being independently sufficient to hold the wrapping material without material deflection during the cutting.

CHARLES H. PETSKEYES. 

